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TRADE: Carlton’s annual GWS offcut jamboree #AFLTrades

Carlton have developed a well-documented habit for making multiple-for-one swaps with GWS for depth players. This time around, they haven’t had to give up much to get what they wanted.

Last year, Carlton took advantage of GWS’ depth with a swap of four players (Plowman, Lamb, Sumner and Phillips) with a 2016 pick giving GWS pick 8 and 28 last year, which were used on their Academy kids Hopper and Kennedy. All four saw decent senior footy, and Carlton will likely win that deal in the long run.

In 2014, they obtained Kristian Jaksch, Mark Whiley and pick 19 for pick 7. We called that a bargain but so far it’s a bit of a wash. Jaksch (7 games) is developing in the reserves if at all, as is Carlton’s pick 19 (Boekhorst). Whiley is among a group of uncontracted Blues players whose futures are unclear. Still, Carlton got three players for one and if, for example, Jaksch develops into a senior KPD the Blues will then be well in front. GWS used pick 7 on Paul Ahern who has been unlucky with injury – this helps illustrate the perils of putting all the eggs in the “quality” basket.

This time, Carlton are targeting two slightly younger players than the previous cache, with more future upside. Marchbank and Pickett are each being valued as still worth top-ten picks, due to having been recently drafted with picks 4 and 6. They’re being let go for a lot less than that. Marchbank particularly showed a lot of promise in 2016, and would have likely fought with Tomlinson and Buntine for a defence spot.

GWS’ future second round pick (~33) was immediately on-traded for more 2016 picks from the dregs of Hawthorn’s remaining stocks, which replaced the picks Carlton just gave GWS.

GWS, for their part, continue shedding unwanted players and pick up about 500 more academy bid-matching points, or roughly pick 27 in bid-matching terms.

Verdict: Carlton make big gains in isolation on this trade, GWS lose more players cheaply and gain academy bidding currency.